conversation – Amy Linnea

Squashed Bug

Published on March 1, 2025February 28, 2025 by amylinnea2 Comments

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

When someone talks down to you, how does that make you feel?

How about if you become the fall out and it wasn’t even your fault?

When you’re surprised at someone’s reaction as they share none of the blame?

When you don’t feel heard, and you realize your voice is barely above a whisper?

How does it make you feel when the conversation leaves you smaller than you were. Tiny, in fact. So tiny, you feel like a bug that was just squashed completely flat?

I know how you feel. Because I felt that recently.

Had a hard conversation, and let’s just say they were only interested in one thing.

Their opinion.

Their right to state their opinion.

Their right to state their opinion in a way that left me squashed.

Interestingly enough, I’ve been taking an education leadership class.

Well, three actually, but who’s counting!

Anyhow, because I am taking these classes at a Christian university, there is always a filter of God through each concept.

How would this response or that decision reflect God and how He operates?

Brings me to that hard conversation.

The conversation directed towards me was missing understanding, grace, and a humble spirit.

Left me thinking thoughts I will not admit, but God has allowed me to see the point beyond the conversation.

God allows yuck to happen, and when it comes, we should ask ourselves what must He be teaching us?

I’ll tell you what I learned.

How not to treat other people.

How not to respond to filth.

How not to bring another person down as I lift up my own self.

Because I know how that felt – terrible.

And I never want to make someone else feel that way. Ever.

When having tough conversations, make sure you are tuned into God’s mind. God’s ways. God’s voice.

Yes, sometimes we might have to deliver unwanted messages, but we can season our talk with understanding, empathy, and love.

And when the other person feels heard, our message will be received, leaving the other with their dignity intact.

Ask God to keep filling you up with Himself.

His words of life.

As we are responsible for the words of our mouths, “may the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our STRENGTH and our REDEEMER” (from Psalm 19:14).

And then when we talk with the world, our words will leave a lovely taste of God as we represent Him with all we do and say.

Photos by Charlotte Descamps & Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Wearing Him

Published on October 1, 2022September 30, 2022 by amylinneaLeave a comment

How do you wear Jesus?

Does your face reflect His peace?

Do your eyes reflect His love?

Are your lips proclaiming His faithfulness?

Is your spirit praising His worthiness?

Is your mind focused on Him?

Aligning your will to His?

Wearing Jesus looks different from one person to the next as we are all created as unique individuals.

Since we are all created in the image of God, reflecting Him will ultimately look similar: peace, joy, love, and patience.

Do you invite Him to cover you with Himself?

Every day?

Each moment?

He will. We beg to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

That’s what He asks of us while soldiering on in this earth.

But that means more than having a servant’s heart.

More than thinking of others before ourselves.

Means aligning your very self with His.

Keeping a running conversation with Him, acknowledging His sovereignty.

And praising Him all the live long day.

Do you thank Him randomly for anything?

You should. Let’s start. Thank you, God, for the sweet air I breathe.

Thank you for the sunshine on my face and the coffee in my pot.

When you praise Him, the devil hates it.

He tends to run when hearing God’s name praised.

Hallelujah! The devil can’t run away from me fast enough.

Am I right?

Wear Jesus well. Show Him to the world. It might be their only glimpse.

Photos by Ben White, Mehdi MeSSrro, Redd, Nathaniel Chia, & Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Today’s Choice

Published on July 14, 2018July 13, 2018 by amylinneaLeave a comment

Oh Jesus,

I’m so sorry.

But I’m super mad.

Really mad.

Is that alright to be mad at you?

You are like my Father, and I’ve been known to get mad at him (sorry, dad!), so I suppose, yes, I can be mad at You, too.

I feel strange writing that.

Like I’ll upset You if I’m mad at You.

I mean, who am I compared to You?

But I know You want us to be real.

To be honest.

And right now, my super honest attitude is angry.

Why, You ask politely, even though You know every reason why?

Well, because I want my way.

I want a life of firsts, not to be part of a solution to healing.

I want our children to all be one big happy family, an original family.

I want my life to be normal.

Not a solution.

I see friends whose kids are theirs and their husbands only.

Both my husband’s and my parents have been married over 50 years.

To the same person.

I want that.

Now we need to both live into our 90’s for our 50th.

Please?!!!

I want at least 1 of the babies taken from us.

Miscarriage is just plain stupid.

Why allow pregnancy only to take it away?

I know it would be work, yes, I’m fully aware of that.

But I like to look at the bright side.

Except when I’m mad.

Like now.

And another thing.

I don’t want healing, because that means something is not normal.

I just want normal.

A normal family, with normal kid issues, and lots of memories built together under our roof.

So, that’s why I’m mad.

I’m mad because my husband and I don’t have the same children and haven’t been married already 25 years.

I wish that was the case.

I almost feel stupid admitting I’m mad at You.

Who am I anyway?

Of the hundreds of billions You have created, I am merely one.

And how dare I become mad at You, merely because I don’t have what I think is the way my life should go?

You know best.

You allowed sin and people to have choices.

Your grace completely covers our entire family.

I know we live in a broken world, and my precious family is a light to that world.

A promise of God’s help.

An example of His goodness when all looks bleak.

A role model of Your healing balm.

Thank you so very much for all You have done for me and my dear husband.

Little ‘ole us.

The children all famously get along.

Our relationships between parents and kiddos really couldn’t be better.

You have been simply amazing to both my husband and myself.

We are thankful every day for the other.

And I love You for that.

Nothing surprises You.

You hold our lives in Your capable hands.

Can I just get a little explanation sometime?

Words of wisdom to my heart?

Wait.

Hold on.

Oh, I see.

I was complaining about being a solution to healing instead of an original family.

But…

YOU were a solution to healing.

You were THE solution to healing for our broken world.

So I suppose it’s alright to be a solution to healing in my family.

After all, that’s what You were.

And are.

You’re asking me to identify with who You are.

I love that.

Well, in that case, alright.

I can identify with You as a solution to healing.

Putting everything in that light helps my perspective.

Makes me almost grateful.

Thank you for that.

Thank you for listening.

I trust You.

Love, Amy

Photos by eberhard grossgasteiger on Unsplash

How did He?

Published on July 7, 2018June 9, 2023 by amylinneaLeave a comment

Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually. 1 Chronicles 16:11

When did You know?

When did You know how You would ultimately die?

How were You not completely overcome with anxiety at almost every moment after?

When did You know You were the Son of God?

When did You grow to love all of humanity with all of our issues and sin?

Did You always want to save us?

Because of love?

When did You realize You were our only hope?

God’s plan of salvation was You.

Was that almost too much to bear?

On top of all that, You were human.

With human needs like thirst, hunger, and the need for rest.

How did You not snap at people when your last meal had been hours previously consumed?

How did You function so utterly flawless when You were completely exhausted and couldn’t even think straight?

You amaze me.

You were fully human, so Your power had nothing to do with it.

You simply did it.

Your life was not easy, yet you were the perfect example to us all.

You carried the burdens of the world and it did not sway your path for one moment.

Teach us.

Teach us to hold our tongues when things don’t go our way.

Teach us to love others when they don’t at all deserve it.

Teach us to spread Your love and salvation to others.

And teach us to simply trust You.

That’s what You did.

You trusted the Father, who had the perfect plan.

You.

And our Father is faithful.

He was completely faithful to You and He will be completely faithful to me.

To us.

Always and forever.

Oh may we be more and more like You every day.

Photos by Aaron Burden , Roman Averin , & Hugues de BUYER-MIMEURE on Unsplash

Earpiece

Published on November 4, 2017June 8, 2023 by amylinneaLeave a comment

Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God. John 8:47

My husband and I recently watched a show in which a friend at headquarters whispered encouraging words to a friend’s earpiece, who was fighting on the field.

Those whispered words brought courage and strength to the friend on the field, who was in major trouble.

And those words made all the difference.

Discouragement left.

Hope returned.

The mission was accomplished.

My husband and I discussed how amazing it would be to speak life into an earpiece, delivering it to the other spouse when needed.

Feeling overwhelmed at work, he or I could “ring for help” and the other would whisper encouraging words.

Wouldn’t that be neat?

But then I realized something.

We already have access to something even greater.

When we need strength, all we need to do is utter that prayer to God and He will whisper into our earpiece everything we need.

But only if we listen.

While feeling overwhelmed, we can ask God for perspective, strength, and joy, and He will deliver.

Only if we ask.

But here’s the thing-

Sometimes, when we utter our prayer, we listen to the wrong earpiece.

We listen instead to the whispers that declare us “no good, unable, or less than”.

Those whispers are also available to us.

So which earpiece will you listen to?

God’s, who speaks truth, yet will also bring you into a place of complete submission?

That earpiece is full of life, truth, and peace.

Or will you believe instead Satan’s, who speaks evil lies, fostering your ego and making you feel lonely?

Yes, it would be wonderful to key into your spouse’s encouragement whenever the whim demanded.

But God’s earpiece is ready to go.

Now and each and every day.

Whenever the need arises, ask Him for strength.

Ask Him for His peace to pass all of your understanding.

Then, as God, who is THE Creator of all things, whispers the truth in your ear, listen.

Believe.

His voice is the best earpiece of all.

Submit

Published on April 15, 2017June 7, 2023 by amylinneaLeave a comment

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

For the love of God, stop.

Stop acting like you can control life.

Stop pretending you are actually in control.

God is.

He is the author of life.

He numbers our days.

Do you want your numbered days to be filled with worry?

Dread?

Mere panic at the thought of losing control?

Or do you want your numbered days to be filled with the transformational peace of God?

It’s your choice.

Daily, actually.

Yes, God gives us authority to make decisions.

To control our tiny corner of life.

But first, submit to God.

Ask Him how to order your day.

Talk to Him about your every step.

Then the peace of God will guide you.

Will you have trials?

Yes, but you’ll have joy in spite of it, knowing God is still in control.

He knows the beginning from the end.

He is the author and finisher of life.

And He loves you.

Completely.

Without reservation, He loves you.

Submit to God Almighty, who created you and the world in which you live.

Submit to God Almighty, who knew you needed a Savior and provided for you a way to eternal life.

Submit to God Almighty, who wants to lead and protect you, enveloping you in His perfect peace and love.

For the love of God, submit.

Photo by David Beale on Unsplash

Peace

Published on March 25, 2017June 7, 2023 by amylinneaLeave a comment

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

God wants me to be at peace and rest about everything?

Yes, because He commands us to not be anxious about anything.

Even my children?

Yes. Even my marriage?

Yes. Even the uncertain future with our broken world?

Especially, yes.

When God asks us to not be anxious about anything, He knows we are unable to do that in our own strength.

He provides the road map to peace.

With absolutely every piece of your busy life, pray about it.

Seek God’s face about each aspect of your life.

Thank Him for all He has done and will do for you.

When you pray and seek His will with a thankful heart, His peace will wash over you.

His peace, which passes ALL understanding, will arrive.

Not only will His peace arrive, but it will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.

He will guard your heart against fear.

He will guard your mind against lies.

When you fully submit your requests to God with a thankful heart, He will blanket your heart and soul with a peace which passes all understanding.

When you choose to give ALL of your worries to God, thanking Him for all He is, His peace will take over.

His perfect peace, which we cannot possibly understand.

When you give up control,

When you submit your will to His,

When you thank Him from the top of your head to the tip of your toes for all He has graciously given to you,

He will come, bringing His perfect peace.

He will come.

He wants to come.

He cannot wait to give you His peace.

Keep submitting and thanking, following His will for your life.

Every single day.

You will become radiant with His peace and what a witness that will be of Himself.

The world needs peace.

Only the peace of God will last and what if you, reflecting His perfect peace, could literally show the world a glimpse of God’s saving grace?

What a witness you will be.

Constant Conversation

Published on March 10, 2014April 6, 2023 by amylinnea4 Comments

And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long. Psalm 71:24

God wants all of you.

He wants desperately to be your all in all.

How do you begin to know His heart? Or know what He wants from you?

Constant conversation. A never ending conversation with God.

You’re kidding, right?

God wants to know about the missing socks, the broken garage door, or the mouse trap?

Yep.

He knows you inside and out and wants you to know Him the same way.

We have the most incredible opportunity in the world to seek God’s face.

We can become His companion.

His actual companion!

My conversations with God are never ending.

Inside my heart, I chat with Him about everything.

In the mornings, I thank Him for hot showers and delicious coffee (priorities!).

I thank Him for blessing me: all the people I love, job, church, and the plethora of material possessions just to scratch the surface.

I thank Him for looking out for me and giving me my heart’s desire.

I ask Him to plan my day and be with me each moment.

I ask Him to intervene in different situations, to lead me down the path He has for me, and give me an abundance of love to share with others.

During the day, I pop in with different things: a thank you for that unexpected surprise on my desk or help when I begin waving that white flag yet again.

Sometimes it’s just a plea for wisdom when those mini moments erupt with 4 children!

The only way I can explain it is constant conversation. A never ending chat with my best friend.

He knows my every thought. He is as close as the wind on my face.

His hugs and tender peace wrap me up every day.

Try it.

Constant conversation with God.